The European Refugee Crisis of 2015

In 2015 Europe faced one of the largest problems of the decade.

Almost 2 million illegal immigrants from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq
have began their journey to Europe's borders. These people have
started fleeing their homes mostly due to the Syrian Civil War, as well
as religious, economic and political reasons.

Many of them were (and still are) crossing the Mediterranean and
Aegean sea by crowded and unsecure boats. They are paying a large
amount of money to smugglers who are taking them across the sea in
awful conditions, causing the loss of many.
Apart from this problem, immigrant parents are often seperated
from their children, their human rights are not respected and police
brutality is not uncommon.
A refugee breaks out of a holding area and runs away from police in
Roszke, Hungary, Sept. 8, 2015.
Not all policemen show affection and understanding, but some
choose to brighten the days of these people no matter how hard
things get.
The main problem of the crisis was identification of people, since
many of them didn't have passports or other documents. Therefore,
their fingerprints and names had to be taken and it was very time
consuming. People were sheltered in bad conditions and most of
them seeked asylum.
 A Syrian refugee cries as she carries her baby through the mud to
cross the border from Greece into Macedonia during a rainstorm,
near the Greek village of Idomeni, Sept. 10, 2015.

An example of a Syrian refugee and her story.

Lara Tahan, Syrian teacher: My life before the war in 2011 was very
good. I was a maths teacher in Aleppo with two children. As the war
started, I knew we had no future in the country. I used to drive to
work and see bodies on the road. So I fled to Turkey - it was the
easiest option back then.
I was making my way to Germany and after I arrived I went to two
refugee camps before moving to a small town in Hessen. We met
Germans who wanted to get in contact with refugees and help us
integrate. They've been very supportive to me at every stage and I
still live here. My daughter is doing very well at school. We both
speak German fluently and have a lot of friends. She's ambitious and I
want her to do better than I have done.
5 years after its peak, the refugee crisis has taught us that life brings
its ups and downs when we least expect them. Many people with
successful careers, families and normal lives have found themselves
going a long way in hope of happiness.
A mother and child rejoice on Lesbos after arriving minutes earlier on
a raft from Turkey, Oct. 17, 2015.

In conclusion, the Refugee Crisis has to be a big lecture to young

people. May our past be our most important teacher and our future a
chance to avoid the mistakes of our ancestors.